Ear-drum.



No. 824,993. PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

A. 0. LEONARD.

EAR DRUM.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 8. 1905.

' W v l/Vl/E/VTOR ATTORNEY ASBURY O. LEONARD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

EAR-DRUM.

Patented July 3, 1906.

' Application filed April 8,1905- Serial No- 254,450.

To all whom, it'may concern: I

Be it known that I, ASBURY'O. LEONARD, a citizen of the United a resident of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ear-Drums, of which the following is. a specification.

his invention relates to improvements in artificial ear-drums; and the object thereof is to rovide a device of its class which will be big y sensitive to sound and constructed so as to adjust itself to fit the auditory canal without exerting serious pressure on the walls thereof.

The above object is accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a erspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a ongitudinal central section, and Fig. 3 is an end view.

Referring now to the numerals of reference marked upon the drawings, 1 is a sensitive membrane, which is substantially flat and thin and completely covers the end of the cell 2, forming the end thereof.

3 is a cylindrical supporting member composed of the same material as the membrane and cell and is made integral therewith. The inner end of the supporting member is contracted, as is also the adjacent end of the cell 2, and an aperture 4 leads from within the supporting member into the cell. A longitudinal depression 5 is made in the side of the b supporting member, by means of which the wal s of the sup orting member may be constricted, as indicated by dotted outline in Fi 3 of the dravvin s.

. lhe material of w 'ch this invention is constructed is preferably of soft rubber or any other adaptable material suited for the purpose.

In using this invention the device is inserted into the auditory canal of the ear with the cell 2 extending innermost, so that the membrane 1 will range in'proximityto the tympanic membrane of the ear, and it will appear that because of the form of the su porting member and'its contact with t e walls of the auditory canal the device will thereby be held in its position Within the car. If the material forming the supporting member should become expanded because of the warmth due to its contact with the wall of the auditory canal or if the size of the auditory canal to which the device is applied is States of America, and

slightly smaller in its diameter than the divameter of the supporting member in its normal state, the supporting member will adjust itself within the canal because of the depression 5, in which event the depressed portion increases in extent and permits the constriction of the supportin member, so that its circumference in the st instance is not increased so as to exert pressure upon the walls of the canal, and that in the latter instance the circumference of the supporting member will be decreased so as to accommodate itself to its place.

. By this construction the tendency of the drum to adhere to the adjacent walls of the canal, and thereby cause soreness, is materially decreased, and its removal from its place in the ear is accomplished with ease by grasping the outer end of the supporting member with tweezers or any other suitable instrument.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an artificial ear-drum, a cell; a thin flat membrane forming the end of the cell; and a cylindrical supporting member having a longitudinal depression, and being connected with the cell, the'walls of the sup orting member and cell being contracted at t eir intersections to form a reduced opening leading from the cell into the supporting mem- 2. In an artificial ear-drum, a cylindrical supporting member having in relation with one of its ends a sensitive membrane; and a longitudinal depression in the side of said supporting member which extends throughout the length thereof. 4

3. In an artificial ear-drum, a sound-cell, one end of which is closedby a thin flat membrane which forms a part thereof; and a supporting member in connection with the cc 1, the walls of the cell and supporting member being contracted at their intersection to form v a reduced opening which affords communicat1on therethrough from the sound-cell into the supporting member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my in presence of two witnesses.

ASBURY O. LEONARD.

signature Witnesses:

r P. J. TURLEY,

EDMUND E. SHEPHERD. 

